The Padres offensive skid feels like it may finally be in the rear view mirror. After a 2-7 stretch, the squad bounced back against the Giants and took both games in the two game series. An offensive that had been drastically struggling, put up 12 combined runs and the Friars are now back in second place in the NL West.
The Return of Luis Arraez
There were multiple reasons for the Padres struggles, but one of the biggest was missing Luis Arraez. The value of Arraez gets questioned a lot, as he is a one tool guy, but this little stint without him showed how valuable he is to a MLB lineup. Arraez combined to go 3-7 with two RBIs this past series. More importantly, his annoying approach at the top of the lineup was felt. I get that Arraez doesn’t put up a ton of WAR, doesn’t hit for power, and isn’t a plus defender. Still, I’m going to defend him because of his approach and mentality at the plate that seems to spark this Padres’ offense. Watching the Padres day in and day out for many years, it’s no surprise that a lineup with him has had so much success.
Xander Bogaerts Wakes Up???
It finally happened. The $280 million man hit his first home run of the season on Tuesday night. He also drove in a run on an RBI single earlier in the game and had some more hard contact on a line out to 1B later on. Considering that Bogaerts is below league average in exit velocity, hard hit rate, and barrel percentage, it’s encouraging to see him have a big night. It’s also something the Padres must have if this team is going to go on a deep playoff run. Unfortunately, Xander followed up Tuesday night by going 0-4 with two strikeouts Wednesday. Still, we will take what we can get.
Filling in the Blanks
Manny Machado was not immune to the Padres’ team hitting slump, but he also bounced back with three hits and a couple RBIs in the series. Fernando Tatis Jr showed he is a human and had an 0-5 night, but then he popped off for three hits in the afternoon game. It’s early, but he is one of the top contenders for the NL MVP this season.
The pitching must also get a shout out. Nick Pivetta and Michael King both put together strong outings and put the team in spots to win. Both righties have been spectacular to start the season. The bullpen did its thing. Robert Suárez tallied two more saves to bring his number up to a league leading 12. His strikeout rate is at 32%, and at this point, he is the best closer in the sport.
Winning is obviously great, but the Padres got something extra to sweeten the pot. Both Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth are expected to return next week. I don’t want to jinx it, but the Padres explosive offensive feels like its back and ready to propel this team into first place.
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